An 11-year-old Texas girl who was allegedly murdered by a family friend with a history of violence was remembered Saturday during a rosary service at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Livingston.
Audrii Cunningham was a “precious, gentle, kind, loving, smiling animal lover,” Father Paul Kahan said during the service.
Kahan said he has no answers about what happened to the child and urged the more than 100 mourners to remember her.
“Keep her memory alive by ensuring that no family will ever experience what we are experiencing now,” Kahan said. “The safety and well-being of our children is our top priority.”
Prosecutors have said the girl was killed by family friend Don McDougal, who was taking her to a school bus stop when she disappeared on Feb. 15. Her body was found in a river near Houston on February 20.
McDougal has been charged with murder. His attorney did not return a call seeking comment Saturday.
Audrii’s family and others in the community say they want answers about how McDougal was allowed to remain free despite a long criminal history of violence.
McDougal was charged decades ago with indecency with a child by climbing into the bed of another Texas girl and attempting to undress her.
That case was pleaded to a lesser charge of enticing a minor, which allowed him to stay off the state’s sex offender registry, according to Brazoria County records.
Last year, McDougal was accused of stabbing a man, but authorities said they did not have enough evidence at the time to arrest him on charges of aggravated assault.